Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore have led the way along with John Holt in revolutionizing the way learning takes place. The Moore's believe, with many studies to back their findings, that delaying formal studies until the child is 8-10 years old is so much better for the child. What prompts them to such a statement? May years of experience with their own children and others. They also state that pushing at earlier ages can actually be damaging to children and the cause of many reading problems.

I tend to agree with them in their findings on things such as eye-hand-coordination, maturity levels, attention spans, and many others suggesting why waiting is better. For example they point out what I believe to be one of the largest problems with new readers. Here you have small children who are going from playing all day to focusing in on flash cards and letter of the alphabet. No, there isn't anything wrong with starting the road to reading, but it is the size of the text that matters. Young children's eyes are not use to focusing in and concentrating on small text. The Moore's highly recommend very large print flash cards and large print beginning readers when starting children out in reading. You gradually move them to a regular font text size over 3 years.

They also suggest some of the precepts from the Charlotte Mason method such as reading to your child, having them narrate back to you. Lots of hands-on, physical and nature learning are all part of early informal education. It's not that learning isn't taking place during this time but that it isn't at a formal stage until 8-10 years old.

I have heard quite a few people who are set back, myself included, to read that the Moore's suggest waiting to start formal reading instruction until 8-10 years old, especially for boys. They claim that once you do start formal instruction with textbooks and workbooks, that learning is at an accelerated pace. One of the examples they give is their own son who started reading close to age 10. Within only a 2-year period of time he was reading at an 8th grade level. For me, this is something that I would not feel comfortable waiting on. However, I do feel that pushing a 5-year-old to read when they are not ready can be very damaging. Not every child will be ready to read at 5 or 6 and perhaps not even until later. This is the point I believe that the Moore's are trying to stress here - waiting until the child is developmentally ready and matured enough to handle the concepts.

Sure there are little Johnny's and little Suzie's that are reading at age 4 but they are not the norm or the standard for you to follow. So if your child isn't reading at age 6 or 7 don't panic…they will read when they are ready and you will be able to tell. Attention span, interest, maturity, eye hand coordination, etc. will help to clue you in as to when to start. Don't get upset if at the first attempt you don't get very far. Sometimes you have to start, evaluate, take a break and then return again a few months down the road. You will be amazed at what a few months maturity can do for a young child. Also note that reading is an intense area just as potty training. If you have recently moved, new baby in the house, or other family events, expect to wait for things to settle down a bit before attempting to start formal reading instruction.

Now, back to the Moore's teaching method. While John Holt, father of unschooling, would not suggest any formal type of education (textbooks etc.) the Moore's do suggest it. Their suggestions of course are simply to wait longer then what we have all been trained into believing is the appropriate time to start. They suggest using the McGruffy Readers and are firm on a true phonics approach to reading - no whole language. If you tend to agree with the Charlotte Mason Method and Unschooling but they aren't quite exactly 'you' I would suggest reading 'The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook: A Creative and Stress-Free Approach to Homeschooling' by Raymond Moore. This book is excellent too if you are feeling like you are getting homeschool burnout. (You know, the we must get 10 pages of workbook material done everyday or mom is going to explode feeling!?) I would suggest that every homeschooler, no matter what type, could benefit from reading this book because there are so many areas covered.

We have incorporated many of the Moore's methods into our own homeschool. For instance, I have seen the difference in reading skills when I started out with large print flash cards and readers. When using the smaller print my daughter referred to the text as 'garble' that she couldn't understand. When I moved her to the larger text, she had no problems and advanced quickly. She started reading at around 6˝ to 7 and is now at the end of 3rd grade but is reading at a 4th grade level.

I would suggest checking into the original 'Alpha-Phonics' book because they use large print letters throughout their primer. I would also use a program that takes children from scribbling to concentrated line writing like 'Calculadder' has called 'CalcuWriter'. This program is simple - it has many fun sheets where the child must draw lines. The lines start simple as horizontal and vertical lines. Then they progress onto diagonal, circle, and zigzag patterns. The purpose? To get young children from scribbling to drawing purposeful lines to prepare them for writing their alphabet. You can come up with sheets yourself, and I have seen these 'Before I Write' type of books in Walmart. Use large lined paper for starting to write. Practice slates are also a good idea to help build on those hand coordination skills.

While the Moore's method of delayed academics may not be easy for you to adjust too, I still believe their books are worth while of your time to check into. On the other hand, you may find that this is exactly what you were looking for and a lifesaver for your homeschool. Like I always tell you, take what can benefit you, your family, your homeschool and leave the rest. God Bless! Leslie

RESOURCES

Books by the Moore's:
1) The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook: 
A Creative and Stress-Free Approach to Homeschooling 
2) School Can Wait 
3) Homestyle Teaching
4) Better Late Than Early
(You can get these books from the Crusader Trading Post Page - click
through to Amazon for other titles.
http://members.aol.com/usteach/bookpicks.html)

Moore Report International
$12 US for one year
Box 1
Camas, WA 98607
206-835-5500
Email: moorefnd@pacifer.com

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Teaching Methods

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